Luck of the Draw

Chapter 18 - Relationships

Wednesday, and Mickey was looking forward to having the cast removed from his left hand. What he wasn't looking forward to, was meeting Nurse Nazi again. Carly had promised to come by and drive him to the clinic, and he had to admit, he wanted her there for support - both moral and physical. He heard running footsteps on the stairs, and he composed his face for her entry. He didn't want her to see that he was still remembering her last remark.

"You ready?" She said, without any greeting.

"Sure. I appreciate this, Carly. I really do."

"Just remember my request." She helped him up, and they left the building for her car.

When he was belted in, and she had pulled into traffic, he asked when she was thinking of doing the store display.

"As soon as you can help. There isn't a lot of time left."

"With any luck I might get both of these off and then I'll be hands free for you."

She shot him a wary look. "Let's just see how it goes." She pulled up at the light and checked before turning right onto the clinic property. "I forgot to tell you, I saw that salesman's car at the Waterfall Motel when I was coming back from Mac's. Told you he stayed in town."

"Probably wants a refill of spices."

"I'm sure." She parked and climbed out, coming around to his side. "Wouldn't be my first choice for accommodation."

"The Waterfall? It's legendary around here."

"What for?"

"Hot pillows. Bootleg booze. Even some of the milder drugs."

"Charming. I suppose the local police share in the legend."

"Reggie is a nephew of the chief. Reggie's the owner."

She shook her head and helped him out of the car. Inside, the clinic was wall-to-wall patients, and Mickey felt his insides sink.

"This does not bode well for me."

"Don't worry about it. You have just as much right as the rest of them."

"Not to hear her tell it." He limped, with help, to the desk and gave the receptionist his name and reason for being there. A few minutes later a different nurse came to the door and smiled, waving him inside.

"Here to get that nasty cast off, Mr. Schafer?"

"I am." His eyes rose in complete surprise at her tone and Carly nodded encouragingly.

"You uh- you new here?" he looked around for any hint of ambush.

"No, no." She smiled again. "I'm just filling in for my sister."

"Sister?"

"Yes, Mr. Schafer, sister." She placed his arm on the table and attacked it with the plaster cutter. Mickey looked on in panic as she hacked away with little regard for his comfort. Carly had turned to examine wall charts and missed the action going on behind her. One cast off, the nurse grabbed his other hand and chopped the other cast off with equal abandon.

Mickey sagged back on the stool, staring at his red skin and the fragments of plaster cast still sticking in spots. The nurse was morphing from Florence Nightingale into Medusa. The astringent cleaner she applied lit his tender skin on fire. and Mickey's response brought a harsh scolding from her. Carly turned to see Mickey flailing about on the stool while the nurse scrubbed the residue from his wounds.

"Hey, that's a little rough don't you think?"

"Nothing is too rough for this malingerer."

Mickey wrenched his hand free, grabbed his cane and lunged for the protection of Carly.